I’d snuck out into the store to look at the products because I was curious. I wanted to find something to scratch my relentless itch. The second I saw Jordan I experienced a different kind of itch. Immediately I knew it couldn’t be sated by a toy.
When he said I was going with him, I almost clapped like an idiot. The way he looked at me… I wanted to experience it every day. As we left the store, I was almost giddy with excitement.
He stayed by my side as he guided me to the parking lot. Gesturing to my two door silver Honda Prelude, I smiled. “This is me. I’ll start it up and you can follow me home,” I said.
Several seconds passed without a response from him. He bent down and looked under the car, muttering something under his breath before he stood back up. Otherwise, he was silent, saying nothing for long enough that I started to worry. Looking over, I found him glaring at my car like it had run his cat over that morning. My stomach sank like a stone as it dawned on me that he was having second thoughts. Stupid, stupid, stupid me, I inwardly chided. I’d been so sure there was a connection.
“It’s okay,” I lied. “You don’t have to worry. I’m sure having someone you don’t know in your house would be inconvenient. I’ll do my project here at the store and I promise you I won’t ever go out on the floor again.”
His head whipped to the side, his jaw unclenching as he gaped at me like I’d just said something completely insane.
“How did you get the impression I don’t need you?”
I ignored his use of the word need as I gestured up to him. “Uh, the expression on your face. You look really unhappy.”
“I am,” he answered honestly, “but it’s not because you’re moving in with me. It’s because you’ve been driving this,” he gestured to the car angrily, “pile of garbage! Your muffler is attached with a wire hanger, and your tires are bald! It’s older than you by a lot and it looks every second of its age. How the hell did this thing pass a smog test?”
He was right my ride was old and decrepit. It also wasn’t street legal anymore. The smog test had been due three weeks before and it failed. I was a ticket or a fine waiting to happen. I hadn’t known the tires were bald, though.
“It didn’t pass,” I admitted dejectedly. “As soon as school is over I’ll get a job and have it fixed.”
He looked ready to explode. “I don’t know what the hell is up with your mom but I can’t fucking believe Robert lets you drive this. He could’ve given you the money to fix this and not felt it at all. Jesus! I’m very disappointed in him.”
“My mom had just left when it failed,” I explained, “and I’m not allowed to drive her Tahoe so I’m kind of stuck. Robert has tried to give or force the money on me several times, but I refused. He and Eric are using every spare cent they have to finish their new house and adopt a baby. He isn’t my dad or even my uncle—I’m not his responsibility, even though he argues with me about it every day.”
Jordan shook his head and let out a shaky sounding breath. “You were wrong not to take that money, Angel. You could’ve been killed in this death trap. The thought makes me ill.”
My breath caught and a dozen butterflies took flight in my stomach when he called me Angel.
“But I wasn’t,” I reminded him. “I’m okay.”
He held my gaze with laser like intensity. “You’re never driving this car again,” he declared.
“I need to drive it home but I promise after that I’ll ride the bus until I can afford—”
He waved his hand through the air dismissively. “Money is not something you need to worry about. You aren’t driving this thing anywhere. I’ll be at the wheel for its final trip. You can drive my car. Give me the keys to yours.”
I handed them over reluctantly, embarrassed that my car was such a piece of crap. Taking my arm, he guided me over to a gorgeous and brand new looking black Range Rover. My stomach began to churn as I stared at it.
“I can’t do this,” I exclaimed. “Your car is worth more than my life! I wouldn’t feel right. What if I ding it backing out of the space or scrape the tire on a curb, or—”
“You’re worth far more than this car,” he answered. “If you ding it, you ding it. I care about your safety—not a few scratches on a car. One thing is replaceable. The other is priceless.”
Opening the door for me, he helped me into the car and showed me where the controls were to adjust the seat. I lost the ability to think for many seconds when he pulled the seatbelt over and across me before fastening it. He was so close to me I couldn’t contain the breathy little sigh that escaped my lips. Turning his head, he smiled at me devilishly. My panties had been damp since the second I looked into his eyes, but being so close to him took me from damp to wet. Wetter than I’d ever been, even at night when I touched myself in the dark.